How do you stay relevant in the ever-changing wedding industry without losing your brand identity? In this episode of The Level Up Podcast, renowned luxury wedding photographer Lauren Fair shares how micro-shifts in style and technique can help photographers grow their brand, attract luxury clients, and avoid creative burnout. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: ✅ How Lauren built her signature “Effortlessly Editorial” photography style. ✅ The key to evolving your brand while maintaining artistic...
Dec 10, 2024•41 min•Ep. 188
Are you a multi-passionate entrepreneur trying to balance creativity with business growth? Many wedding photographers and filmmakers have a passion for multiple industries, skills, and revenue streams but struggle to scale beyond weddings. In this episode of The Level Up Podcast, Magi Fisher—wedding photographer, lawyer, and business owner—shares how she successfully built multiple thriving ventures while staying aligned with her passions. From launching an associate photography team to creating...
Dec 03, 2024•45 min•Ep. 187
Ever feel like you’re juggling too many roles—entrepreneur, creative, parent, and everything in between? In this unfiltered Sip & Tell All episode of The Level Up Podcast, Taylor Petrinovich & Kelley Gilster dive into work-life balance, holiday traditions, dream business mentors, and the possibility of hosting a retreat for the wedding industry community. What You’ll Hear in This Episode: ✅ How Taylor & Kelley manage time as working moms in the wedding industry. ✅ The transition from...
Nov 26, 2024•29 min•Ep. 186
What if you could build a thriving luxury wedding photography business while staying true to your personal values? In this episode of The Level Up Podcast, Denver-based wedding photographer Cat Galletti shares how she went from fashion blogger to in-demand wedding photographer, booking 15-20 high-end weddings per year without burnout. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: ✅ How Cat built her wedding photography business from scratch in a new market. ✅ Why you are in control of your business success...
Nov 19, 2024•40 min
In this value-packed episode of The Level Up Podcast, Taylor Petronovitch and Kelley Gilster share actionable insights for wedding photographers and videographers looking to dominate the upcoming booking season. If you’ve been in business for at least two years and are ready to break into the luxury wedding market, this episode is for you! Discover proven marketing tactics, essential rebranding tips, and networking strategies that will help you attract high-end clients and grow your business wit...
Nov 12, 2024•38 min•Ep. 184
In this insightful episode of The Level Up Podcast, Taylor Petronovitch and Kelley Gilster explore why health is wealth—especially for wedding photographers and videographers. As the busy wedding season winds down, it's the perfect time to reflect on your physical and mental well-being. Learn practical strategies to improve your health, boost productivity, and avoid burnout. Discover how prioritizing wellness can directly impact your business success in 2025 and beyond. In this episode, we cover...
Nov 05, 2024•38 min
In this transformative episode of The Level Up Podcast, hosts Taylor Petronovitch and Kelley Gilster chat with Victoria Ann of Victoria Ann Events about the critical role of setting boundaries in growing a successful wedding planning business. Victoria shares how confidently saying "no" has led her to plan luxury, multi-day destination weddings with budgets exceeding $750K. If you're a wedding photographer, videographer, or planner looking to attract high-end clients, build a dream team, and sca...
Oct 29, 2024•48 min•Ep. 182
In this game-changing episode of The Level Up Podcast, Taylor Petronovitch and Kelley Gilster reveal the simplest way for wedding photographers and videographers to double their income: revenue diversification. Sharing their personal journeys from $0 weddings to $25K+ events, they explain how multiple income streams have fueled their growth and financial freedom. Plus, discover how their new course, The Revenue Multiplier, will help you expand your business without diluting your brand. If you’re...
Oct 22, 2024•38 min•Ep. 181
In this insightful episode of The Level Up Podcast, hosts Taylor Petronovitch and Kelley Gilster dive deep into the challenging—but inevitable—topic of managing unhappy clients. Whether you’re a wedding photographer or videographer, dealing with dissatisfied clients is part of the business. From pre-wedding contract negotiations to wedding day hiccups and post-delivery feedback, Taylor and Kelly share practical strategies to navigate tough conversations with professionalism and grace. If you’re ...
Oct 15, 2024•50 min•Ep. 180
In this candid Sip and Tell episode of The Level Up Podcast, hosts Taylor Petronovitch and Kelley Gilster pull back the curtain on their realistic post-wedding routines. From late-night gear management and data backups to morning-after recovery strategies, they share exactly how they handle the exhaustion and workload following a wedding weekend. Plus, they discuss what defines a “local” wedding, how they balance work-life responsibilities, and the critical workflows that keep their luxury weddi...
Oct 08, 2024•44 min•Ep. 179
In this Sip and Tell episode of The Level Up Podcast, hosts Taylor Petronovitch and Kelley Gilster share practical tips on how wedding photographers, videographers, and creative entrepreneurs can stay sane while working from home. From managing the isolation of entrepreneurship to balancing business growth with family life, they dive deep into the routines, habits, and outsourcing strategies that help them maintain focus, productivity, and mental well-being. If you're ready to take control of yo...
Oct 01, 2024•44 min•Ep. 178
In this inspiring episode of The Level Up Podcast, hosts Taylor Petronovitch and Kelley Gilster sit down with Austin Trenholm, a luxury wedding photographer with 20 years of experience, to discuss how you can create your own luck in the wedding industry. Austin shares his journey from starting photography at 14 to building a thriving business that consistently books $10K–$18K weddings. He explains how strategic positioning, mindset shifts, and embracing competition can lead to "lucky" breaks. If...
Sep 24, 2024•44 min•Ep. 177
In this candid Level Up Podcast episode, hosts Taylor Petronovitch and Kelley Gilster share real-life updates on juggling family life, busy wedding seasons, and running multiple businesses. From managing editing backlogs to navigating industry shifts and adjusting pricing strategies for long-term gains, they offer insights into how wedding photographers and videographers can balance it all. They also discuss industry trends for 2025, the power of planner relationships, and exciting updates for T...
Sep 17, 2024•46 min•Ep. 176
In this transformative episode of The Level Up Podcast, hosts Taylor Petronovitch and Kelley Gilster share the exact strategies wedding photographers and filmmakers need to break into the luxury wedding market. Drawing insights from their free three-day workshop attended by nearly 2,000 creative entrepreneurs, they outline the Luxury Market Pyramid—a proven system for booking $10,000+ weddings. You'll learn how to refine your brand, curate an intentional body of work, boost visibility, and build...
Aug 27, 2024•54 min•Ep. 175
Want to make 2025 your most profitable year ever? In this episode of The Level Up Podcast, hosts Taylor Petronovitch and Kelley Gilster break down the key strategies that will help wedding photographers and filmmakers increase their revenue, book high-end clients, and build a sustainable luxury business. If you've tried raising your prices but keep hearing "you're too expensive," it's time to rethink your branding, marketing, and networking approach. Taylor and Kelley share why profitability isn...
Aug 22, 2024•46 min
Breaking into the luxury wedding market requires more than just talent—it demands strategy, networking, and intentional branding. In this episode of The Level Up Podcast, we sit down with Carl S. Miller, a wedding photographer who transitioned from videography and scaled his pricing from $5K to $15K+ per wedding. Carl shares how he overcame the biggest mistake many creatives make—keeping their blinders on and ignoring industry relationships. By shifting his focus to vendor networking, strategic ...
Aug 20, 2024•38 min•Ep. 173
What if you could scale your wedding photography business from $3K to $10K+ weddings in just one year? That’s exactly what Myla Li did, and she’s sharing her journey in this episode of The Level Up Podcast. From second shooting over 20 weddings in her first year to booking five-figure weddings for 2025, Myla reveals how she used Instagram marketing, strategic branding, and unique offerings like Super 8 film to differentiate herself in the luxury market. She also discusses the mindset shifts that...
Aug 15, 2024•39 min•Ep. 171
Want to work with top-tier wedding planners but don’t know how to get on their radar? In this episode of The Level Up Podcast, we sit down with Erin Taylor of Bustle Events, a luxury wedding planner based in Napa, to uncover exactly what planners look for when hiring photographers and filmmakers. Erin shares how networking, brand positioning, and understanding luxury storytelling can make you a preferred vendor for elite planners. Plus, she reveals why capturing the full guest experience—not jus...
Aug 13, 2024•51 min•Ep. 172
If you’re a wedding filmmaker or photographer looking to scale your business, book higher-paying clients, and avoid burnout, this episode is for you! We sit down with Madeline Kuzminsky, a Charleston-based wedding filmmaker who grew her business from $1,700 bookings to $7,300+ in just three years—with a clear path to five-figure weddings. She shares how investing in education, rebranding for luxury clients, and refining her client experience helped her stand out in a competitive market. We also ...
Aug 08, 2024•43 min•Ep. 170
Your brand is more than just a logo—it’s the entire experience clients have with your business. But is your branding attracting the right clients, or pushing them away? In this episode of The Level Up Podcast, Taylor Petronovich & Kelley Gilster break down the four essential elements of branding that every wedding photographer and filmmaker must refine to book high-end weddings. They reveal the biggest branding mistakes that could be deterring your ideal clients and share actionable steps to...
Aug 06, 2024•34 min
Want to book more high-end weddings in 2025? Now is the time to set your business up for success! In this episode of The Level Up Podcast, Taylor Petronovich & Kelley Gilster break down key strategies to ensure 2025 is your most profitable year yet. From building strong planner relationships to refreshing your portfolio and refining your business systems, they’ll walk you through the exact steps to position yourself in the luxury wedding market before peak booking season hits. If you're read...
Jul 30, 2024•31 min•Ep. 168
Are you fully prepared for your next wedding, or are you scrambling at the last minute? In this episode of The Level Up Podcast, guest host Cassie Hyatt shares pre-wedding habits and systems that help wedding photographers and filmmakers reduce stress, stay organized, and show up professionally. From gear prep and communication strategies to grooming, wardrobe, and mental mindset, this episode is packed with practical tips to ensure you walk into every wedding day feeling confident and prepared....
Jul 23, 2024•31 min•Ep. 167
If you could go back five years, what would you do differently in your wedding business? In this episode of The Level Up Podcast, Taylor Petronovich & Kelley Gilster share the hard-earned lessons they wish they knew earlier—from working with the right planners to curating a portfolio that attracts high-end clients. They reveal how casting too wide a net can hold you back from scaling, why not every wedding deserves a spot in your portfolio, and how building strong vendor relationships can un...
Jul 18, 2024•26 min
Is content creation the future of the wedding industry? And how can photographers, videographers, and planners use it to grow their businesses? In this episode of The Level Up Podcast, Taylor Petronovich & Kelley Gilster sit down with Saira from Social Saira, a luxury wedding content creator with 14 years of industry experience. Saira shares how behind-the-scenes content has become an essential marketing tool and why planners, vendors, and couples are all investing in it. She also breaks dow...
Jul 09, 2024•35 min
The wedding industry is constantly evolving—are you keeping up, or getting left behind? In this episode of The Level Up Podcast, Rick and Sarah Pendergraft of Pen Weddings share their 15-year journey in wedding filmmaking and how they’ve adapted to survive and thrive in an ever-changing market. From raising prices with confidence to mastering new technology and shifting business strategies, they reveal the mindset and tactics that have kept them at the top of their game. If you’re a wedding phot...
Jul 02, 2024•46 min•Ep. 164
What does it take to become a trendsetter in the luxury wedding industry? In this episode of The Level Up Podcast, we sit down with Molly and Sana of Bash Please, a top-tier event production company based in Los Angeles and San Francisco. With over eight years in luxury wedding planning and decades in hospitality, they share how they’ve built a brand known for trendsetting, innovation, and unparalleled client experience. From introducing new wedding trends (like on-site tattoo artists) to shifti...
Jun 25, 2024•40 min•Ep. 163
If you're trying to break into the luxury wedding market, are you doing it the right way? In this episode of The Level Up Podcast, Rosemary Hattenbach of Rosemary Events shares hard-earned insights from 23+ years in the industry. From working with A-list directors in film production to planning high-end weddings worldwide, Rosemary reveals why paying your dues, mastering etiquette, and building trust with planners are non-negotiables for success. If you're a wedding photographer or filmmaker loo...
Jun 18, 2024•48 min•Ep. 162
Do you want your wedding photography brand to be instantly recognizable? In this episode of The Level Up Podcast, Christina McNeill, a San Francisco-based luxury wedding photographer, shares how she developed a signature style that attracts high-end clients and commands $25K+ per wedding. From her art school beginnings to building a premium brand, Christina reveals why authenticity, artistic vision, and strategic branding are essential for success in the luxury market. If you’re a wedding photog...
Jun 11, 2024•45 min•Ep. 161
Are you an introvert or extrovert—and how does that affect your marketing strategy? In this episode of The Level Up Podcast, Taylor (an introvert) and Kelley (an extrovert) break down how personality type impacts networking, relationship-building, and long-term business growth in the wedding industry. Taylor shares how introverts can network without exhausting themselves, while Kelley explains how extroverts can leverage their social energy to build lasting connections. Whether you love deep, on...
Jun 04, 2024•42 min
What does it take to book high-end wedding clients and scale to luxury weddings? In this episode of The Level Up Podcast, Brooke Keegan, one of Harper’s Bazaar’s top luxury wedding planners, shares her journey from hotel event planning to managing multi-million dollar weddings. Brooke explains how she transitioned to percentage-based pricing, built high-value industry relationships, and used strategic branding to position herself as a luxury planner—even before she had booked luxury clients. If ...
May 28, 2024•53 min
